


Comfort

by Starofwinter



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Nightmares, Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-07
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2019-01-30 17:00:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12657705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starofwinter/pseuds/Starofwinter
Summary: Ezra has a nightmare during his first nights on the Ghost.  Zeb can't listen to it again.





	Comfort

A nightmare wakes Zeb up.  For once, it isn’t his own.  

Ezra is whimpering from the bunk overhead, and Zeb can hear the rustle of the blanket as he tosses and turns.  The kid’s only been on the Ghost a week, but every night, it’s the same thing.  He’ll quiet down eventually, but hearing him whimpering and later, sobbing softly, Zeb hates it.  Not because he likes the kid, of course not, but… he’s just a kid, and he’s had a rough time of it.  He doesn’t deserve to be alone with it anymore.  

Another minute ticks by, and Zeb sighs.  He climbs out of his bunk, and leans up to gently shake Ezra awake, calling his name quietly.  Ezra jumps out of his skin.  “Easy, kid.”

“Sorry, did- did I wake you up?”  Ezra tries to brush his hair out of his eyes, before rubbing the back of his neck, not really looking at Zeb.  

He shrugs with a roll of his shoulders.  “Nah, I was already awake.  Look, there’s no way to ask this without it sounding weird, so I’ll just say it.  You can share a bunk with me if you want, might help with the nightmares.”

Ezra blinks at him, still a little unfocused - and Zeb tries not to see how much his hands are shaking while they tangle themselves up in the thin blanket.  He looks so small, even if he is half-grown, and Zeb wants to protect the little loth-rat from anybody who’d hurt him, old instincts flaring to life.  “You don’t mind?” he finally asks, his voice .

Zeb flicks an ear and shakes his head.  “C’mon.”  He flops back into his own bunk, making room for the kid.  Ezra crawls into the bed, curling up small and tight, like a kitten, and Zeb can’t help the urge to curl around him protectively - he doesn’t even mind the way Ezra clings to him like some giant stuffed tooka, burying his hands and face into his fur, still sniffling a little.  Zeb sighs, rubbing his back.  “Easy, kid.  You’re alright, just close your eyes.  Go back to sleep.”  It doesn’t take long before Ezra’s breathing slows down and evens out, and he’s sound asleep.

The door slides open, and Zeb looks up to see Kanan in the doorway, lit by the dim running lights of the hallway.  “Another nightmare?” he asks.  Zeb doesn’t know how he knows, but they’re both Jedi, so that counts for something.  

“I’ve got this one.”  Zeb gives him a little nod, and Kanan smiles before sliding the door shut again, and leaving them alone.  

He still doesn’t  _ like _ the kid.  


End file.
